23. Reese
Reese
A storm had blown in overnight, drenching the town. And while the rain had stopped shortly before dawn, dark clouds still hung ominously overhead.
Summer was off from the diner, so I was taking her and Nate to look at a car. She’d found one for sale within her budget, and I’d asked Luke to give it a once over.
I pulled up to Luke’s shop, eyeing the twelve-year-old silver compact SUV out front. Luke stood next to it, dressed in a T-shirt and worn jeans, and the guy with him was probably the seller—a local named Mark.
“Is that our new car?” Nate asked from the back seat.
“If Luke says it’s in decent shape, it is,” Summer replied. “It looks good from here.”
I grunted, skeptical. She’d need all-wheel drive in the winter, and it checked that box. But the mileage was high. Unfortunately, her budget was not.
We got out and said hello to my brother. Summer introduced herself to Mark and asked a few questions about the car while Nate looked in the windows.
“What do you think?” I asked Luke.
“It’s in good working order. High mileage, but you knew that. It’ll be safe for her.”
I still wasn’t so sure. My wife should drive something better. But she’d insisted I couldn’t help financially. That she’d stick with her budget and make it work.
And she wasn’t my wife.
We took it for a quick test drive. She said it was more comfortable than her last car. When we got back to Luke’s shop, I stood aside, arms crossed, while she negotiated. Mark kept a wary eye on me the entire time.
If my presence happened to motivate him to give her a better price, where was the harm in that?
Once everything was settled, they went into Luke’s office to finish up the paperwork. Mark left, walking into town to get a bite to eat, and I thanked my brother for his help.
Nate ran back to the car. “Can I get in now?”
“Go ahead.” Summer smiled as she clicked the key fob to unlock the doors.
He climbed into the passenger seat and started rooting through the glove box and center console.
The distinctive rumble of motorcycle engines filled the air, and Summer whipped around to look at me, wide eyed.
“Do you hear that?” she asked.
“I hear it.” My gaze swept the street, but I didn’t see them. “Get in the shop. It’s probably nothing, but get out of sight anyway.”
“Go ahead and wait in my office,” Luke said.
She nodded and ushered Nate out of the car and into Luke’s garage.
A moment later, half a dozen bikers drove by.
They wore vests with their club’s colors.
Not Mayhem, and I hadn’t expected that. Still, there was the possibility that Axel had asked other clubs to be on the lookout for Summer and Nate.
Maybe they were just passing through, but I still didn’t want them to know she was there.
“Tell me that wasn’t Summer’s ex,” Luke said when they’d disappeared farther down the street.
“No. Different club.”
“Good. Bikers come through town sometimes, especially during visitor season. So we’re fine then?”
“Maybe. If Mayhem has connections with other clubs, there might be members all over keeping an eye out for Summer and Nate. Just a ‘if you happen to see them, let us know’ situation.”
“Should we follow them?”
“Yeah, I want to know what they’re up to. But I need to get Summer and Nate home first.”
“You do that. I’ll see if I can find where they went.”
“Thanks, man.”
I went back to Luke’s office. Summer stopped pacing and looked at me with a mix of fear and hope in her eyes.
Nate was busy looking at the photos of restored cars on the walls.
He was getting way too accustomed to the sudden need to hide from bikers.
I was glad he didn’t seem scared, but some things shouldn’t seem so normal to a child.
“Wasn’t Mayhem,” I said.
“I didn’t think it could be. But then again…”
I shook my head. “No. Might even just be a riding club. But we’re not taking any chances. I’ll get you home, and then I’m going to make sure they aren’t a problem.”
“Okay. Nate, let’s go.”
We left, and I followed Summer back to the house. No sign of the bikers. I had her park in the garage, then I called Luke.
“Hey,” he answered. “They’re at the Timberbeast.”
“I’ll meet you there.”
“Sounds good.”
After ending the call, I drove to the Timberbeast. It was early afternoon, and the lot outside was mostly empty. Just a truck with local plates, plus Luke’s blue Chevelle and a row of bikes.
Luke waited out front. I parked next to his car and joined him at the entrance.
“What’s the plan?” he asked.
“We go in. Sit where we can hear them. Talk to the bartender, see if they said anything suspicious.”
“That’s…very reasonable.”
“Were you expecting unreasonable?”
“Honestly, man, I don’t know what to expect. If it was Z, I’d know to be ready for anything. But you’re still something of an enigma. Plus, you look a little bit like a guy who’d go in hot, ready to start shit.”
“Starting shit is the last thing I’m going to do. I don’t want to attract their attention; just make sure they aren’t going to be an issue.”
“As jacked as you are, I don’t know how you go anywhere without attracting attention.”
I cracked a smile. “Just follow my lead.”
“You got it, brother. Beer’s on you, by the way.”
I shook my head with a smirk.
We went inside, and Rocco the bartender tipped his chin. The bikers sat around two tables pulled together, and one other customer sat at the far end of the bar. Rock music played in the background and the dim lights seemed to bring the gloom of the cloudy day indoors.
Luke chose a stool at the bar that was about as close to the bikers as we could get without making it obvious. I sat next to him and shifted so I could see behind us from the corner of my eye. I didn’t like putting my back to them.
“What can I get you?” Rocco asked.
Luke ordered an IPA, and I did the same. When Rocco returned with our drinks and slid them across the bar, Luke leaned in closer and lowered his voice.
“Any issues when they came in?” He gave a subtle nod in the direction of the bikers.
“No. Should I expect trouble?”
“Probably not. Just making sure.”
“There something I need to know, Haven?”
“Um… Melanie has a friend with an ex who rides with guys like that. We just want to make sure no one’s going to cause trouble for her. They didn’t ask about anyone, did they? Act like they might be looking for someone?”
“No. Just ordered drinks.”
Luke nodded. “Thanks.”
Rocco tipped his chin and disappeared into the back.
“Thanks,” I said, grateful for his quick cover story. Close enough to the truth without giving anything away.
“I’ve got your back. Rocco’s trustworthy, but the fewer people who know, the better.”
We settled in with our beers, and I kept half an eye on the bikers. Their conversation seemed to center around the weather and local road conditions. Certainly nothing suspicious. But Luke and I talked quietly, with frequent pauses so we could listen and make sure we weren’t missing anything.
“So how’s married life?” Luke asked with a smirk.
I shot him a glare.
“Hey, I’m just playing along. Have you ever been married, though?”
“No, I haven’t.”
“And no secret stash of kids you’re going to surprise us with later?”
Taking a sip of my beer, I rolled my eyes. “No.”
“What about prison? You have a lot of ink. Any prison tats on there?”
“Nope. Never did time.”
One of the biker’s voices caught my attention. “Do you think she could be around here?”
I took a casual drink, keeping one ear angled toward their table.
“Probably not this far north,” another replied.
Luke lifted his eyebrows. I shrugged—couldn’t tell if they were talking about Summer—and kept listening.
“She couldn’t have made it this far,” another added.
“You never know,” the first guy said. “Sounds like she’s run off before.”
“With the nose she has on her, she probably caught a scent and chased it into the woods. Got herself lost.”
“I bet she joined a pack of wolves.”
Chuckles went around the table.
“That would fit. Maybe a wolf would put that little terror in her place.”
I leaned toward Luke. “I think they’re talking about a dog.”
“Yeah. Definitely a dog.”
The conversation continued, and it sounded like one of their members had a small dog with a tendency to nip. She’d gone missing, and they’d told him they’d keep an eye out for any signs of her while they were on the road.
Nothing to do with Summer.
Still, Luke and I lingered at the bar. I sipped my beer slowly, even as the chill left it. I didn’t drink much anymore, and despite my size, my tolerance was low. I didn’t want to down more than one beer in the middle of the day.
Finally, the bikers got up to leave. Luke and I waited until their engines started to fade, then rushed out to my SUV. We got in and caught up with them not far from the Timberbeast.
Yeah, they’d been talking about a dog, but once again, I wasn’t taking any chances. If they were staying in town, I wanted to know where. And if they weren’t, I wanted to be able to assure Summer I’d seen them leave.
I followed at a distance, keeping them in view without drawing attention. They drove straight through town, and soon they were on the highway, heading north.
Just passing through.
“Thanks for seeing that through to the end.” I took a left across the highway onto a wide spot in the shoulder and turned around.
“Seemed like the obvious thing to do. You never know when shit’s going to get weird.”
“True story.”
“Let me know if Summer has any issues with her car, by the way. I can always take a look for her.”
“Thanks. I appreciate that.”
“She’s my sister-in-law, so…”
I shot him another glare.
He chuckled. “Come on. I see the way you look at her.”
“How do I look at her?”
“Like she’s yours.”
I kept my eyes forward and tightened my grip on the steering wheel.
“And you almost made Mark piss his pants. I’m kinda surprised he didn’t just give her the car.”
That made me laugh. “You would have done the same.”
“No doubt. I’m just saying it was fun to watch.”
“Summer’s gonna be fine,” I said, shifting the subject.
Luke didn’t reply. Just nodded slowly. I had a feeling that wasn’t the last I was going to hear about it.
And apparently I needed to be more careful about how I looked at Summer.
Because she wasn’t mine, and she couldn’t ever be.